Author: eastwillowplace

How to Change When You Hijack Your Own Progress

If only they would always sit this still… I love cuddles!

Shoulders hunched, discouragement and defeat on his face, teary eyes lifted sadly, my little son told me he wanted to quit.

It was just too hard for him, and he couldn’t do it, he said. His math book was just too difficult and he needed to go back a grade level.

Then he cried.

I looked at him, too astonished to speak for a moment.  This is a child who is precocious, intelligent, and studies eagerly. He had achieved the level he was in by his own efforts, not because of my expectations or any pushing.

For him to suddenly collapse with defeat was startling, especially when he had been doing really well!

What had happened?

Then I discovered that he had been flipping through his book to the sections near the end, when his current lessons are still in the first third of the book. When he had seen problems and difficult questions he was unable to answer or even understand yet, he had collapsed in overwhelm, discouragement, and defeat. He told himself he just wasn’t able to do it – he wasn’t smart enough. And then he believed it.

But he was nowhere near ready to take those problems on yet – he had a lot of lessons in between where he was now and what he would need to know by then!

And then it hit me:

How many times am I like that? How about you? 

I can look ahead and see in the future the outline of a difficult problem or situation, and I freeze in fear. I have no idea of how to solve that problem! I don’t even know the first thing to do to cope with it!

And depression, discouragement, insecurity, and overwhelm set in. I listen to the story that I will never be able to overcome the challenge, or that when it comes I will drown in writhing defeat.

What if looking that far ahead in my current perspective was actually a major detriment to my progress? 

Like my son, I am self-sabotaging my own success by comparing my abilities NOW with what I will need THEN – without factoring in my own significant change in the process.

He who began a good work in me is FAITHFUL to complete it (Phil 1:6). He will unceasingly work in my heart and life (so far as I allow Him to have the authority), and He will not allow me to skip any lesson that He knows I will need for success later on!

My task for RIGHT NOW is just the next lesson. That’s it.

What is God teaching me in THIS moment, THIS day, THIS season?

That alone is all I need to work on for now.

He is the most patient and best of Teachers, the most thorough and kind of all Guides and Counselors. His loving wisdom to know exactly what I need when and in what timing is something I can absolutely trust in. 

And so can you.

I encourage you to look ahead – it’s what gives us inspiration and excitement! And carefully plan and excitedly dream and hopefully purpose.

But bring your wise and loving Teacher along with you in these moments. When you’re tempted to flip ahead too far and what you see overwhelms and scares you rather than inspires you, shut that flipping book. 

Grab your Father’s comforting hand, climb up and listen to His heart, and trustingly ask Him what it is He wants you to learn NOW.

Ask for the faith to believe He will teach you in the way you learn best.

And ask for the teachable, soft heart to learn it well!

Then ask the same thing each day, for the rest of your life.

And I think by the time we each get to the thing that looked so scary, we will have an entire assortment of experiences and lessons and understanding that will give us a more solid foundation for facing the challenge well.

And so we can hold onto hope!

Our God is filled with tender love, kindness and patience. A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering wick He will not snuff out (Matthew 12:20).

And I am certain that the next lesson He gives us is one that is one that He knows we are ready for. We can wholeheartedly look in His face and smile, trusting Him to walk us through it well. 

I hope you are well, my lovely friend. I will be praying that whatever lesson you and I face in this time finds us both with soft and teachable hearts, open hands, and trusting and uplifted outlooks.

Take a moment right now to tell God you trust Him. Ask for that teachable, soft heart. And thank Him for being such a patient and wise Teacher to help you learn what you need for today. 

I’m so excited for us! Best school day ever.

– Maria

If this has been encouraging and helpful to you, please share it on your social media platforms! (Thank you!)

Remember to get your lovely printable list of 21 Favorite Books for Reading Aloud (see the side bar or at the bottom of this article at www.eastwillowplace.com)!

HOW TO MAKE SPACE FOR READING WITH YOUR KIDS

1. Plan for reading time – and protect it.

One of the best ways I have found to stir up interest and excitement in reading in my home is to take 10-15 minutes a day and read a great story out loud to my kids. If the chapters are long, I simply watch for a good stopping point somewhere in my time frame. 

I pick an interesting story that will catch their interest, and then guard my reading time with them as I would an important appointment. 

2. Be creative with when and how you read!

One time we often read is at lunch or breakfast while my kids are eating. (I eat quickly beforehand.)  Or we read at the beginning of our school day, after our initial prayer-and-morning-huddle time. This reading is the fun, adventurous chapter-book kind of story.

I also read a short devotional book most nights – I think it’s important to help my children have something that will help turn their thoughts toward God before sleep (a family favorite is “Stories to Share“, by Patricia St. John – full of interesting short stories that create opportunity for thoughtful, deep, and precious conversations!).

Another way to keep reading time is to turn on an audio book during coloring or art time – we have listened through several of the Chronicles of Narnia books in this way when I was dealing with a bad cold and my voice was too hoarse for reading aloud.

One of my dear friends used to read to her older children while she was nursing the baby. She was sitting down and unable to move for that amount of time anyway, and her children loved getting some of mama’s love and attention during those days when the baby took a lot of energy!

3. Intentionally create space for books and comfy places to read.

Clear out toys that are lesser-used or outgrown, and place a sturdy yet pretty basket or bin for books from the library.  Designate a corner as “the Reading Corner” and collect floor cushions, a small bean bag, a cozy blanket, and a short bookshelf or two!  (Make sure there’s enough light!)

One of my husband’s fondest memories as a child was one of his elementary teacher’s classroom: It had a large bathtub filled with pillows, and was dubbed “The Reading Tub”. Students who earned enough points won the privilege of “Time in the Tub” – and it was a greatly coveted activity! 

(What a brilliant teacher, right?)

What can you do in your home and life to make reading fun, exciting, and easily accomplished? You don’t have to put a tub in your living room (unless you really want to!), but any cozy place that feels quiet and safe, designated for reading and books, will be appreciated and used.

4. Have your children make a list

My kids create “wish lists” of topics they are interested in, then I search online at our library for books on those topics.  When the books come in, all the kids are so excited to go with me to pick them up at the curbside delivery at our local library!  It’s like receiving a happy package in the mail!

Be observant. Listen and watch your kids as you read other books, as you watch films, as you listen to conversations. 

What interests them? What creates questions that they ask? That is likely a great place to start with book ideas.  A section on Japan in my son’s history book created an interest in ninjas. Another chapter triggered much research on Charlemagne – all additional reading which was not part of his assigned school work.  But because he was interested – it was fun!

5. Encourage reading through example!

Excitement about learning is more often caught than taught. Your young child will naturally imitate what they see most modeled by you. So if you want them to love books and reading and learning… guess what you need to show them is important to you?

Children will hear what you say but will more likely copy what you do. To create space for reading in your home, you as a parent need to first create space for reading in your own life.

Set a timer and read for 10 minutes a day for yourself.  Or start with just 5! You will be amazed at how many books you can get through in a year.  And you will be feeding your own heart and mind with new ideas, interesting information, and great thoughts.

And a quick little bonus point:

LIMIT SCREEN TIME.

The more that your children are in front of a screen with moving pictures, the less reading they will actually do. And the screen will also limit how much they feel like reading. (This is true for you too, my friend.)

So I set a limited time for screens in our home – because there is an incredibly interesting connection that happens between increase of screentime and increase of bad attitudes, whining, bickering, boredom, and disobedience.  But maybe that’s just my punks.


Which of the ideas above are you going to choose to start putting into practice in your home and family?  I’d love to hear which one struck you most!

And if this post was helpful or encouraging to you, would you please share it on your social media pages?  Thank you so much!

– Maria

– Next up: How I Homeschool: Writing for K-3rd Grade

How to Think About Reading in Homeschooling Your K-3rd Child

This kid loves books. It makes me so happy. Except when he can’t hear me calling to clean up because he’s buried in a book. Then I just get frustrated. Go figure.

Are you ready?

Let’s talk about READING for your K – 3rd Grade peeps! Woot!

I have written about my simple, hassle-free method of teaching reading to my kids, so if you’re working on that in your home, check out my article here!

(Want good suggestions on where to start for titles of great books to consider for your kids?  Click the link in the sidebar to get a lovely, printable list of 21 of my favorite books for reading aloud with your kids!)

There are 4 things that come with a love of reading:

1. A lifetime-long love of learning

2. Self-teaching in a wide variety of subjects

3. Creating a heart after things that are noble, true, and godly

4. You make a lasting, meaningful impact on your child’s life

1. LIFELONG LOVE OF LEARNING:

I passionately believe that helping your child learn to love reading is helping your child learn to love learning.

Once a child discovers how magical the printed word can be, creating new worlds in their imagination, or leading them into truths and ideas that blow their minds with wonder and awe, they will develop a lasting sense of the pleasure and adventure in reading.

And a child that loves learning only needs to be gently nudged in the direction of their studies, since they will eagerly move forward in their own motivated energy, rather than be dragged along by parents, miserably resisting all the way.

Did you catch that?

It means: Your job of “teaching” your child just became a lot easier, because you become more like a “learning coach”, while your child is the one who charges forward, excited to pursue knowledge. It means your child becomes their own teacher.  Which is an incredible life skill.

2. SELF-TEACHING IN A WIDE VARIETY OF SUBJECTS

If your child loves reading, they will effectively absorb a large amount of information ACROSS MULTIPLE SUBJECTS (such as history, geography, language, philosophy, science, social studies, language arts, civics, and classic literature) without you needing to do more than direct what they read by choosing good books and provide help in processing and understanding it through conversation/discussion! 

Getting to discuss varying aspects of the Pacific Theater during WWII, comparing and contrasting the size of the Persian Empire with Alexander the Great’s conquered territory, hearing my younger child correctly describe whether a specific muscle movement is voluntary or involuntary, being told the average speed of lahars (when I didn’t know what a lahar was before)…

Um, hello stimulating and fun home school day!

3. CREATING A HEART AFTER THINGS THAT ARE NOBLE, TRUE, AND GODLY

Books provide ideas and information on any subject imaginable. Good, wholesome books help form moral values of courage, heroism, truth, honesty, persistence, self-control, careful thought, and many other virtues.

It takes intention and thought to stimulate your child’s inner appetite for these nobler things – it will not usually happen by chance. You as a parent are deeply crucial in this aspect by what you encourage and allow your child to absorb during these developmental years – whether through books, social media/online, television and film, or through peers.

To help create in your child an understanding of the beauty in things that are beautiful, true, and godly is to help them see the beauty of God.  It helps create a desire in them to encourage and add to this beauty – His beauty – in the world.

The parent who achieves this has done good work in preparing the fertile, rich soil for the seeds God will plant in their child’s life.

4. YOU MAKE A LASTING, MEANINGFUL IMPACT ON YOUR CHILD’S LIFE

The hours may seem to drag some days, but ask any older parent: Time is precious and it flies.

These days spent at home with your littles are valuable opportunities to pour into their hearts and lives. Your children love you and cherish time with you above anyone else.

You, as a parent, are the most impactful person in their lives in these young years. Don’t waste your impact. Don’t later wish you had lived differently during this season of life. Know that your daily input is foundational and critical for your child.  Spending time reading with your child is an enormous gift with incredible benefit for the rest of their lives.

Reading out loud (even just ten minutes each day!) from great, inspiring stories or fascinating historical or scientific books is only going to increase your connection with your child, stimulate their curiosity about the world, and deepen their intellect.

What book will you start reading with your kids?  When do you plan to set that 10-minute commitment to read with them that works best for you? Don’t forget to click the link in the sidebar to get a lovely free printable list of 21 of my favorite read-aloud books!

I am excited for you to see your children’s eyes and imagination light up as you pursue this reading adventure!

– Maria

Next up: How to Make Space for Reading Time in Your Home

How I Home School K-3rd Grade Now: Simple MATHEMATICS

Barefoot, in the kitchen, on the floor, teaching my son 1st Grade Math. What this picture doesn’t show is the dishes in the sink, the piled laundry waiting to be folded, and the toddler wailing in the background while she clomps around the hall in my shoes. Welcome to my home school life.

(PART 2)

In my last article (found here:), I wrote about keeping the focus big and bright on only four basics:  

Mathematics, Reading, Writing, and Character Development.

Let’s talk Math!

At this early age, Math is pretty straightforward. (Even if Math scares you a little, like it does for me.) I try to keep it as one of the first subjects we do each day so that their minds are fresh and ready to tackle it well!

Depending on your child’s learning style, there are many options that could work.

I tend to keep it pretty simple and use A Beka workbooks. They are repetitive but very thorough, so I know my child will be solidly grounded in the math facts by the end of the grade. They usually cost around $22-25, and are widely available.

I also don’t get the answer keys since the math is so basic I figure I don’t need them at this level.  (Don’t tell A Beka.) 

I have a small bin of plastic “counting bears” as a visual aid for addition and subtraction for my earliest learners, and to explain lower-level multiplication/division. Anything small will work – buttons, beans, toy cars, crayons, Cheerios… (just don’t be surprised if the Cheerios start disappearing mysteriously).

Other moms I know have kids who do better with other math curriculum, like Math-U-See or Singapore Math. It really comes down to how your child learns best.  

Try not to get too bogged down in research before you just start. It can become so overwhelming that decision-paralysis sets in. 

If your child is genuinely struggling, pray about it first. The God who created your child’s mind and heart will help bring you the wisdom and resources you need.  It’s remarkable how suddenly the connections and information you’re looking for will gently become clear in the upcoming days.  It’s another way God shows His loving care and concern for every aspect of our lives.

The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.

Psalm 37:23, NLT

Sometimes He’ll bring along another mom with a kid who learns remarkably similarly to yours, and you can get help and advice along with friendly support!

You know your child.

Trust your gut and trust that you are the best person to figure out how to help them learn in the way that most fits them.

If your child is a slow and deliberate math student (I have at least one of these), it might be a good idea to set a timer, and take a break from whatever else you are doing to sit with them and patiently explain and help. Kind voice, no judgement, just pretend you’re a tutor with nothing else to do but patiently help this child have a pleasant interaction with math for a brief time.

Start with 15 mins (or less), if they’re struggling. Then slowly work up to 30 mins.  When the timer rings, math is done for the day.  Even if they’ve only got through half a page. Or less.  At the start it should be more about teaching consistency and familiarity with concepts. And avoiding tears. (For them and you!) 

Then, as they get a bit older and more confident, another helpful idea is to plan something fun or different that they enjoy immediately following math (if math is more of a challenge for them). Have a coloring or LEGO-time for 20 mins afterwards, or a fun snack, or let them run outside and blow bubbles or build a fort in the living room, or have a read-aloud time with an enjoyable book, cuddling together.

If your child is more like a streak of light able to rush and get through math quickly (I’ve got a few of these), require a minimum amount per day – for me it’s one lesson (2 pages), and I check in often to make sure they understand what they’re doing. 

But for the most part, these lightning-learners only need my help with explaining a new concept – and then they’re off again.  Sometimes I have to slow them down and encourage them to breathe – my young daughter flew through seven lessons without stopping the other morning, and I wanted to make sure she was grasping the new material.

Home school is wonderful in that if your child wants to fly and feels confident shooting through the material in a subject, they can!

They are not being held back by the lowest common denominator, but can move quickly on to something that actually challenges them more, even if it is beyond their peer-group grade level.

Home school is phenomenal in that if your child needs extra time and nurturing in a subject so that they achieve mastery before moving on, they have that opportunity!

They are able to receive the attention and tailored approach they need to thrive and learn. This relieves the stress, fear, and the feelings of inadequacy and insecurity that can easily develop in a forced group-learning style when something is more of a challenge for them. 

One day I sat at the table and helped one child with two things: how to write a number eight (my child was stumped) and what the ten’s place value was. For thirty minutes we did nothing else except practice swooping 8’s, and discussing and practicing place value.

Guess what? While we did not get through even a fraction of the workbook that day, by the end there was an encouraged smile in place of tears, a new pride in the smoothly-written 8’s on the page, and a secure grasp of place value for two-digit numbers.

This was serious math success because of the way my child had experienced math in a positive, confident way. This is when home schooling seriously rocks!

What a precious gift this kind of learning can be – for their heart and yours.

So take a deep breath, mama. You got this! I’m cheering you on.

– Maria

If you’ve found this article helpful, please share it on your social media pages, and send me a message to let me know it was valuable! (I’ll be so pleased and thrilled I’ll probably cry. I tend to do that.)

If you have any questions or want to know more about what I use and how I homeschool, send me your question in the comments and I will get back to you!

 To connect with me on a weekly basis, sign up for my special emails with thoughts, updates, life hacks, and encouragement – I promise I won’t spam you!

Next up! Part 3- How I Home School K-3rd Grade Now: READING! Woohoo! (Can you tell I’m excited?)

Cinnamon-Swirl Apple Fritter Bread

(Adapted from: Home is Where the Boat Is)

Makes 1 9×5″ loaf

Ingredients:

  • 1/3 cup light brown sugar
  • 3 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • 2 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped
  • 2/3 cup sugar plus 2 Tbsp
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
  • 2 large eggs, room temp
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup milk

Glaze:

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • pinch salt
  • 2-3 Tbsp milk

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Grease and lightly flour 9×5″ loaf pan.
  • In small bowl, mix brown sugar and 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, all the nutmeg, and all the cloves. Set aside.
  • In another bowl, toss chopped apples with 2 Tbsp granulated sugar and 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, set aside.
  • In medium/large bowl, beat butter and remaining 2/3 cup granulated sugar together with mixer until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. (I usually get impatient around 2, but can make it to 3.5 if I’m trying hard. Props to you if you make it to 5!  Write and tell me, I’ll send you some applause and a gold star.)
  • With mixer on medium, add the eggs one at a time (I often forget and dump them both in together, don’t be like me); add vanilla extract.
  • In yet another bowl (I know. What are we up to now, four different bowls?) whisk flour, baking powder and salt together.
  • Add flour mixture to creamed butter mixture, beat till blended. Mix 1/2 cup milk into batter till smooth.
  • Pour half the batter into prepared loaf pan; top with half the chopped apple mixture.
  • Sprinkle half the brown sugar/cinnamon mixture on top of the apples.
  • Pour/spread remaining batter over apple layer, top with remaining chopped apples, then remaining brown sugar mixture.
  • Gently pat apples into batter.  Using a table knife or slim spatula, swirl brown sugar mixture through apples (don’t get too carried away… a moderate, restrained swirlage goes a long way here).
  • Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, approximately 60-70 mins.  (Cover with foil during last 10 minutes of baking time to prevent overbrowning if needed.)
  • Let loaf rest in pan for 15 minutes, then remove gently and let cool completely on wire rack.
  • Make glaze: Mix powdered sugar, pinch salt, and 2-3 Tbsp milk to desired consistency, stir till smooth. Drizzle bread with glaze.

How I Homeschool My Kindergarten – 3rd Graders Now – Keep it Simple!

With my crew of eight littles ages 11 through 2 years, each day is always very interesting. 

Time doesn’t seem to flow around here – it moves in blurbs and dashes, sometimes with a big splotch for emphasis, like Morse Code mixed with a Jackson Pollack. 

Which leaves me often desperate for some kind of analyst to tell me what’s really going on here, to interpret the big picture, because I can easily lose focus and forget what the main point is.

What am I talking about again?  Oh, right.  Home schooling.

I believe that home school can be satisfying, fulfilling, and (gasp) even enjoyable – for you and your kids.

I want to underwhelm you by sharing what I do in home schooling so that you get excited about the privilege and joyful position you’ve been given to teach your children, rather than stressed and overwhelmed with pressure and performance anxiety.

Here is the main point for my home schooling of my Kindergarten – 3rd Grade kids:

RIGHT NOW, in this season of life, I need to focus on the basics.  That’s it.

What are the basics, you ask?  Glad you asked!

For me right now, here’s the (short) list:

  1. Mathematics
  2. Reading
  3. Writing
  4. Character Development (the most important, hence the last one)

There we have it, folks.  Otherwise known as “The Three ‘R’s” (apparently people couldn’t spell well back in the day, probably because they didn’t have Google or spell check) combined with intentional, godly parenting.

I feel like sighing with relief every time I remember this list. 

It makes me glad I home school.

Because educating your kids at home shouldn’t be a heavy, oppressive burden. It’s just easy to make it that way. We have a choice to make it better – for ourselves and our kids.

Also, think about the things that might be on your “required” list for homeschooling which may not be a true requirement.

Guilt or comparison or tradition are terrible reasons for any scholastic pursuit, even if it seems fun or “educational” or “encourages creativity” or is guaranteed to assure your child a spot in an swanky university in ten years.

Be honest. If something is starting to feel like you’re including it in your school day without a good reason, I’d suggest taking a hard look at why it’s there. 

If it’s draining you or your child and creating a time-vacuum that wreaks havoc on the rest of your day, or if your other children and responsibilities are suffering, drop that sucker like a hot potato.

(Which reminds me, what’s for dinner? Potatoes?)

For me, a lot of extra subjects, big projects, and in-depth studies for my kids at their young age is only going stress me and them out, create a lot of mess in my home very full of little humans, and stress me out.  (I get stressed twice when the occasion calls for it.) 

Home school should really be about a healthy way of incorporating education into the home life you have, not enforcing a rigid school-at-home.

In an upcoming post I will elaborate on each of these “Basics” and what I actually do to include them in my (home school) day. In the meantime, take heart:

By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. -(2 Peter 1:3)

This includes raising and teaching your kids.  So take a moment to thank Him for this incredible gift!

You got this. I’m here cheering you on!

– Maria

Make Breakfast Easy: Scrumptious Breakfast Cookies – 7 Variations to Try!

Today I made Tropical Breakfast Cookies, rich with golden chunks of dried pineapple, gems of dried apricot, flakes of coconut, and the buttery crunch of cashews.

Many breakfast cookies are rather dense, fibrous, and wodgy.   

Not these! Here I present cookies that are tender, flavorful, yet hearty and satisfying.  Follow the base recipe, then include whatever ingredients you like for the variation you choose!  Scroll down for all the scrumptious options… one for every day of the week!

Base Breakfast Cookie Recipe Ingredients:

  • 2 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
  • 3/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 Tbsp ground flax (optional)
  • 1 egg
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 2 Tbsp vegetable, canola, or coconut oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • For the Tropical Cookies:
  • 1/2 cup diced dried pineapple
  • 1/2 cup diced dried apricot
  • 1/2 cup chopped cashews
  • 1/2 cup dried shredded coconut (I used mildly sweetened)

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F/180 degrees C.
  2. Line a large baking sheet with foil, lightly spray with oil.  (Hey, that rhymes!)  Or just grease a baking sheet.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, mix together all dry ingredients.  Add liquids/egg, and any additions. Stir well.
  4. Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, scoop out the dough and plop it out in evenly spaced scoops on the prepared baking sheet.  Pat each scoop down gently with the back of the cup to flatten a bit.
  5. Bake for 15-17 minutes, or till edges are golden.  Let the cookies cool for a minute or two, then transfer to a cooling rack (or if you’ve got a hungry horde like me, simply start chucking cookies at any empty plate on the table!).

These freeze beautifully.  I usually get about 15-18 from a single batch.


TRY THESE SIX OTHER SCRUMPTIOUS VARIATIONS!

Lemon-blueberry: Add 2 tsp lemon zest, 1 cup dried or fresh blueberries, 1 tsp lemon extract. (If you use frozen blueberries instead of dried, note that the baking time might increase a minute or two.)

Apple-Cinnamon: Add 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, a pinch of cloves, 1 cup peeled, chopped apple

Chocolate-Peanut butter: Add 1/2 cup creamy or crunchy peanut butter, 1/4 unsweetened cocoa powder

Cranberry-Chocolate-Almond: Add 1/2 cup dried cranberries, 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips, 1/3 cup sliced almonds

Banana Bread: Add 1 mashed banana, 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

Carrot Cake:  Add 1 cup grated carrot, 1/2 cup raisins, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp cloves, 1/4 tsp nutmeg

A Fairy-tale Better Than You Could Imagine

Photo by Richard Clark on Unsplash

Hey, Friend!

Do you ever watch fairy-tale movies?  The ones with a beautiful girl who is courageous and good and finally overcomes incredible odds and adversity and marries the prince/handsome rich guy?

I do. I like those kind of films. Happy endings are my jam.

What’s hard to do is come back to reality and try to reset my mind to cope with my very unmagical, daily grind involving dust, dirty diapers, lint, and bickering children who must be fed. Often.

“Happy endings are for fairy-tales,” the cynic in your mind may mutter. “Life is hard and then you die.” (This is an actual quote from one of my parents.)

But.

According to the Bible, I am told that no one can even imagine the wonderful things that are being prepared for us (1 Corinthians 2:9), that this world is merely a prelude to a New Heavens and Earth (Isaiah 65:17, Revelation 21:1), and that our King is actually preparing a grand (re)entrance into our world (Titus 2:13, Hebrews 9:28) – just like the crescendo of any fairy-tale ending.

The truth is: we ARE living in a sort of fairy-tale.

Our hope in this life is anchored in a tale of epic love, betrayal, loss, redemption, and (ultimately) victory. We have been promised that happy ending, and what’s important in the meantime is how we maintain our perspective and courage as we wait and hope for the return of our King and the righting of all that is wrong.

(I recommend reading the Jesus Storybook Bible, by Sally Lloyd Jones, for a comprehensive view of this better-than-fairy-tale story, if you haven’t already.)

As I explained to my children the other day after watching one such fairy-tale film together, it’s as if this present world is set at the end of the movie, immediately before the happy ending.

The curse is broken, the spell is lifted, the evil is defeated – but it’s in those few seconds where all the darkness and sadness still hold that we live for now.

We are in the space just before the turn of events, where the hope appears crushed and the grief feels crushing. Bewildered, aching, it breaks our hearts and feels so wrong.

We are in that slice of time where we don’t see the truth yet.

But that doesn’t make it less true.

If we can be patient and hopeful, knowing that in just a little bit, the sun will rise and the light will break out. The wrong will be set right, and all that was hopeless and grim will be transformed and renewed. We will experience the delight and sheer joy that comes from living this glorious happy ending:

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”

And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.”

(Revelation 21:1-5, NLT)

That hope is something worth holding on to, tight, no matter what the cynics may say or the darkness around may seem like.

And that, to me, is better than any fairy-tale ending I could ever imagine.

A New, Cute, & Fierce Animal Hero

A Grasshopper Mouse consuming a bark scorpion
https://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2013/10/25/3876292.htm

(And the powerful lesson it gives us)

Do you know what animal is/does all these things:

  • – Stalks prey like a cat
  • – Howls like a wolf
  • – Hunts and eats venomous scorpions and snakes
  • – Nocturnal
  • – A distant relation to the common house mouse?

Behold, the incredible Grasshopper Mouse! 

I’m astounded by this fascinating, tiny-but-mighty creature found in the desert areas of southwestern USA and northwestern Mexico.

But wait, there’s more!

The Grasshopper Mouse has an incredible resistance to the toxin injected by the bark scorpions it hunts, meaning that it barely notices when it is stung! 

Unlike any other creature, which would become paralyzed from the same sting, the Grasshopper Mouse has a unique cell make-up which rejects the toxins and blocks the sensory pain signals, even with increasing levels of toxicity, so it carries on as usual – and the scorpion becomes lunch.

I think people who have put their faith in our Savior Jesus Christ are like common house mice who have morphed into becoming like the Grasshopper Mouse.

Sin, condemnation, and fear of death are like the poisonous toxins that bring pain, paralysis and ultimately, agonizing death – no matter how we try to run from it.

Yet, because of the life-giving, powerful infusion of our Savior’s blood, we become transformed (Hebrews 9:12)!

Sin, condemnation, and the fear of death no longer have any hold on us.  Instead, we who formerly were like weak prey, guilty and defeated under the weight of our sin, become free (Hebrews 9:15).

We are now able to do incredible things for His glory through His power at work within us (Ephesians 3:20).

We are now more than conquerors, overcoming all manner of struggles, hardships, trials, sufferings, and losses (Romans 8:37), – because His love is now in our DNA and has created a cellular mutation that renders us immune to the sting of death and sin (1 John 1:7). 

He gave us an incredible blood transfusion that transformed us!

Where we used to be timid and fearful in the darkness of this world, we can now be bold and courageous, behaving not like the skulking, shrinking victims we once were, but like the royally adopted sons and daughters we have become (Romans 8:15).

Where we used to be quiet, perhaps only uttering quiet squeaks in alarm or fear, we can now “howl” out our praises and worship to our God boldly and with thanksgiving in our hearts (Isaiah 24:14, Psalm 98:4).

Because our Savior loved us so dearly, He has taken the sting and suffering of our sin upon Himself, enduring the agony and death we deserve (Hebrews 2:9-10).

By placing our faith in Him, we gain the reward of a life now lived free from the fear of death, free from the stinging shame of condemnation, free from the poisonous toxicity of sin.

We can now exclaim with a new, joyful ferocity: “Where, O death, is your victory?  Where, O death, is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:55)

The Grasshopper Mouse preaches a powerful sermon simply by being itself in its remarkable existence.

I want to do the same.

Let’s live like a horde of Grasshopper Mice: courageous, fierce, free from fear of death.

Maybe we can encourage other house mice to get the same “blood transfusion”, too.

The scorpions won’t know what hit them.

(Do you have any animal heroes?) 

Mama Was a Preacher: (A Simple Mindset Check for Parents)

Hey there, Friend!

Quick question for you today:

If you were a swim coach, told that you had four weeks to teach a class of newbies how to survive being thrown in the deep end of the pool, what would you do? 

You would design a strategic plan to teach those people the essential skills they would need to pass the test!  You would review the plan daily, making sure you covered and carefully taught all that they needed to know!  

All along, you would know you had a time limit to complete your task, so you wouldn’t waste class time on showing them the best way to spread out their towels, or how to match their swim cap to their bathing suit. You would get them in the pool and get cracking on the important things!  

So in the arena of parenting, what is your deepest hoped-for outcome in parenting your kids? 

What, in your mind, is equal to the deep end of the pool?

  • Being a good and kind person?
  • Is it getting (and keeping) a successful job? 
  • Paying for their own college degree, car, or mortgage? 
  • Marrying someone who loves them?  
  • Finally learning how to do their own laundry and cooking? 

What is it that you would consider to be your benchmark goal of “success” in parenting? 

Does it have anything to do with knowing, loving, and pursuing God?

If you have any children, you have been given the calling of parenthood.  This means that far beyond just ensuring they survive to adulthood, you are also called to be someone who speaks into their lives with intention and purpose, teaching them diligently how to follow God and obey His Word.

Sounds like “Preacher” is part of the job description that falls under “Parent”… doesn’t it?

We have been given the task of influencing, directing, wisely counseling, and deliberately discipling our children, whether we have one or twenty-one of the punks.

“Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it,” Scripture says (Proverbs 22:6, NLT). 

“We will not hide these truths from our children; we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the LORD, about his power and his mighty wonders,” Psalm 78:4 (NLT) declares.

The protégé of the Apostle Paul, Timothy, was reminded: “You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus,” (2 Timothy 3:15, NLT).  That is the essential aim of parenting as a believer – that our children would whole-heartedly trust in Christ Jesus and receive His salvation. Beyond this, all else is secondary.

Do we live like this is true?  Do we parent like our to-do list each day includes: “And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These words I am commanding you today are to be upon your hearts. And you shall teach them diligently to your children and speak of them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.…”? (Deuteronomy 6:5-7)

Like the hypothetical swim coach, we have been given a time limit for achieving our goals for our children, whatever they may be. Our children will not be at home with us indefinitely. 

So are we shaping our time with our littles in a way that demonstrates our commitment to our goal of teaching them diligently? Are we speaking about the commands and righteous living outlined in the Scriptures as passionately and frequently as the passage above directs?

We are called to be preachers of God’s word in our own homes, not only to our children but to our own hearts as well.  “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength,” the Scripture states, as a directly personal command. 

The truth of God’s Word is to be upon our own hearts – or else how can we presume to pour it out into the hearts of our children?

The way to gain our children’s respect in teaching them this love for God is if we are first modeling it ourselves in integrity and truth. This means daily intentional pursuit and committed, persistent choices to turn our hearts and thoughts to Him.

Let’s decide to deliberately plan out and actively teach what our children will need in order to effectively pursue and love God on their own – letting our parenting goals be shaped by the truth of His Word, not our world.

Let’s decide to seek Him fiercely and fervently for ourselves and our own often- feeble hearts. He gives strength to the weary, and increases the power of the weak (Isaiah 40:29), and He also generously gives wisdom to those who ask for it (James 1:5). Jesus Himself prayed for us, that we would have the same love for God that God had for Jesus (John 17:25), so we can have no fear of repeating such an audacious request to Him. (I do, often!)

Let’s choose today to be the intentional, faithful, and sincere preachers of the Word to our children that we have been called and chosen to be.

Go get ’em, Mama. Your congregation awaits.